Faculty

Faculty

Dr. Carla Becker

Dr. Carla Becker has a Bachelors in Percussion Performance and Music Education from Central Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance and Ethnomusicology from the University of Washington.  Her interests have led Dr. Becker to Ghana, West Africa (2000) where she produced research in “Drum Language of the Ashanti”, and “Ghanaian Children’s Games and Songs for the Elementary Music Classroom.” The research in Jamaica (2000-Present) produced “Rastafarian Representation in Reggae Music (2008-2010).  She earned her Doctorate in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University

Dr. Becker is an active percussionist trained in Classical, Jazz, Marching Band, and World Music.  Her percussion experience includes Symphonic Percussion in Michigan based Symphonies, Trinidadian Steel Pan with Ray Holman, Japanese Taiko Drumming, Nigerian Juju Music with Chief I.K. Dairo, and Ghanaian Palm Wine Music with Koo Nimo.  Recordings include the Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble from the DMP label.

Dr. Becker’s taught K-12th grade music for 17 years in various Seattle, Washington Public Schools.  Classes include 4^th-5^th grade Instrumental Band and Strings, K-5 Elementary General Music, H.S Marching Drum-line, 6^th-8^th grade General Music, and 5^th-12^th grade Steel Pan Ensembles.  Her collegiate teaching experience includes teaching World Music Courses, Percussion Ensemble, and Music Education.

Dr. LaPointe Davis

Dr. Davis received his bachelor of science, master of music, and doctor of philosophy degrees in instrumental music education from Virginia State University, The University of Michigan, and The Ohio State University respectively. He has established the reputation of being a highly successful public school and university marching and symphonic band director.  Dr. Davis has presented numerous music education topics at professional conferences, and he has authored many music education articles that have appeared in various state and national publications.

Dr. Frank Gazda

Frank Gazda has performed with, among others, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the Sioux City (IA) Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and The Supremes. Dr. Gazda received his Bachelor degree in Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory, his Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, and his Doctorate from the University of Maryland. He has been a finalist in the Eastern Trombone Workshop National Solo Competition and the IWBC National Solo competition, and appears nationally as a guest artist, adjudicator, and author.

Dr. Patrick Hoffman

Patrick Hoffman earned the undergraduate degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Working as a Marketing Coordinator for several months was enough time to convince him to pursue his passion for music.  He went on to earn the degrees of Master of Music from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Dr. Hoffman has studied trumpet with Chris Jaudes, Susan Slaughter, Ray Sasaki, Bernard Adelstein, and Fred Mills.  After the completion of doctoral study under Professor Mills at the University of Georgia, he accepted a position with the Rekkenze Brass Quintet of Hof, Germany. For the next three years he performed as Assistant Principal Trumpet in the Hof Symphony, and toured with the quintet throughout Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, and the United States.  As Associate Professor of Trumpet and Director of Brass Ensembles at Delaware State University, Dr. Hoffman also teaches courses in Music Theory, Ear Training, Arranging, and Orchestration. He is active as a recitalist and performer in the Delaware, Philadelphia and New York areas.  In addition to arrangements and transcriptions for brass quintet and brass ensemble, he has also written several original works for brass. Since 2002, he has enjoyed his summers in upstate New York, serving as Trumpet Instructor and Director of Brass Ensembles at the New York Summer Music Festival in Oneonta, New York. Dr. Hoffman has taken DSU student ensembles to summer workshops in Germany and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, as well as study abroad music programs in Changchun and Ningbo, China.

Dr. Horace Lamar

Horace Lamar, a native of Mobile Alabama, received the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Mississippi Valley State University, Master of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of Minnesota, and the Doctor of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.  Before coming to Delaware State University, Dr. Lamar taught in the public school system in Mobile, AL, Alabama A&M University and retired as Dean of the School of Music at Alabama State University.  He has conducted workshops, master classes, and has served as an evaluator for SACS and the State Department of Education. Dr. Lamar has adjudicated and guest conducted both choral and instrumental groups and was a member of the Mobile Symphonic Pops Band and principal clarinetist in the Montgomery Choral Orchestra.

Dr. Lloyd Mallory

Dr. Mallory is the director of choral activities at Delaware State. He received degrees from Oakwood College, Morgan State University and the University of California at Los Angeles.

Ms. Mable R. Morrison

Mable Morrison received the Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier University in Louisiana and a Master of Music degree from DePaul University in Chicago. She received certificates from Fontainbleau Fine Arts and Music Scholl under the direction of Nadia Boulanger, and from L’Academie InternationaleD’Ete of Nice, France under the direction of Lucette Descaves.

Dr. David Tolley

David Tolley received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, and a Bachelor of Music, Masters of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from The Ohio State University.  He pursued further studies in Music Business at UCLA and Film Scoring at USC.  Dr. Tolley is a Grammy-nominated, internationally renowned pianist, composer and producer. He has performed for United States Presidents, Ford, Reagan, and Bush, as well as a concert for Boris Yeltsin in Russia, and several performances on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Johnny Carson.  He has composed and produced music for all of the major Networks, as well as a project for Steven Spielberg, and all of the original music for the EURO-DISNEY theme park in Paris. He has also written seven complete musicals including one that ran off-Broadway and was nominated for two Grammy awards.

Staff

Mr. Marty Denson, Music Industry

Mr. Denson holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Delaware State University, and a Master of Science in Education Media Design and Music Technology from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. As a producer/engineer, Marty has worked with industry artists like Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Johnny Gill, Phyllis Hyman, Keith Sweat, and more. Marty and his rhythm and blues band “Final Mixx” won the 1989 National Budweiser Showdown Band Competition, which resulted in a recording contract with Motown Records. During his time at Motown, Marty was able to build his career in recording, engineering, music production and music technology. Along with serving as the Music Technology Specialist and Director of Studio Recording at Delaware State University, Marty also owns a private filmmaking and recording studio where he works with industry artists and many DSU Music Industry students seeking experience in advanced recording and engineering techniques.

Mr. Randolph J. Johnson, Band Director

Mr. Johnson has 13 years experience as a university band director, 2 years experience as an administrator, and 11 years experience as a high school band director. Prior to returning to Delaware State University, Mr. Johnson was on faculty at Alcorn State University, was the Supervisor of Music for the Wyandanch School District in Long Island, New York, and from 1990-2001 was Director of Bands at Delaware State University.  From 1981-1987 he was the band director at Liberty High. Mr. Johnson has conducted band clinics in locations from Seattle, Washington to New York.

Mr. Chester Knapp, Assistant Band Director